1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to a reversible tote bag adapted for the organization, storage, display, accessing and carrying of workmen tools.
2. Background Art
Accessing and locating workmen's tools stored in tool carriers, particularly tote bags relating to retrieval of such tools is important. Heretofore tote bags have been found a useful and inexpensive means for carrying workmen's tools to a work site, particularly heavy carpentry tools. However a tote bag is not effective in segregating the tools as they are free to intermingle and therefore finding and retrieving selected tools, once on a job site, for specific operations has been difficult and time consuming. Prior art carrying cases have attempted to remedy the problem presented by intermingling for smaller articles such as crayon and pencils by providing fold-out individual storage compartments such as pockets or pouches in the side panels of such carrying cases. Such prior art devices typically involve a container which contains pouches on an interior wall and is openable to provide access to items contained therein typically having a closure device such as hook and loop fasteners or a zipper. Such container devices typically are arranged to provide for a two position container, the first being an enclosed position for storage and transport and the second being an open position for access following release of a closure device.
The present invention overcomes the limitations expressed above of the prior technology. The present invention employs the advantageous characteristics of a reversible closure device and a reversible a tote bag having a reversible folding wall consisting of a lightweight continuous sheet of fabric. The reversible folding wall including a display panel including individual compartments for separately storing tools. In essence said display panel is attached to one side of the reversible folding wall forming the bag into at least five different positions. By providing a reversible zipper closure device extending along the peripheral edge of the sides of the bag together with a reversible folding wall, it is now possible to close the sides of the tote bag with the panel selectively either on the exterior wall, with the bag inside out, or an interior wall in a normal position.
The prior art does not present such an efficient and effective apparatus of arranging and transport of tools, particularly carpenters' tools.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,401 to Blackman discloses an article holder and carrier for small articles such as crayons, coins and pencils in a boxlike holder formed by a plurality of fabric walls sequentially hinged together and a plurality of pockets which fold together to form a series of compartments provided with shock-absorbing material. The Blackman device includes a closure device consisting of a plurality of hook and loop fasteners mounted on flaps. These fasteners may be individually disconnected and the article holder and the carrier may be unfolded into a generally flat position exposing pockets which largely conceal articles from view and protects them from shock. Unlike the present invention, Blackman is not a display device even when unfolded, is not reversible to place the pockets outside, fails to teach a container other than the pouches and does not teach a carrier for heavy articles such as tools. The Blackman device simply would not work as a carrier for tools such as hammers and saws. Furthermore the Blackman device is directed to the problem of protecting items inside the boxlike structure by including stiffening partitions and shock absorbing material. Accordingly, placing the pouches on an outside wall would defeat the object of Blackman. Moreover the patent to Blackman discloses an article holder and carrier for small articles limited to two positions and fails to teach a multiple position bag for organization, storage, display, accessing and carrying of heavy articles such as workmens' tools.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,906 to Little discloses a multipurpose utility tote consisting of a flat t-shaped unit having a zipper operable to transform the t-shaped unit into a parallelpiped shaped container which can be closed for storage and can be opened to provide a flat surface essentially providing a two positioned tote.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,442,105 to Vacheron discloses a multipurpose blanket having a zipper mounted on a panel edge so as to provide that the blanket may act as an independent container for other articles. The blanket of Vacheron is essentially a two position blanket which can also serve as a container.
Despite the teachings of the prior art, there has not been a device for workmen's tools employing a reversible wall in combination with a reversible closure for providing for multiple positions for ease of use and access. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide for a new and improved tote bag employing a reversible zipper making the tote bag reversible to provide for total access to items stowed in the bag or in its compartments and lightness of weight which overcomes at least some of the disadvantages of prior art; and it is lightweight and economical. The present invention permits this by employing a novel reversible zipper device and by the application of its inherent parts.